Montero homers twice as Yanks win fifth straight

Freddy Garcia sure picked a good day to have his worst outing of the year. The bats showed up for both teams on Monday while the pitchers apparently decided to take the day off in observance of our nation’s workforce. Let’s recap the win…

Obviously, the big story of the day is Jesus Montero‘s first two career homeruns. Both came off a pretty good reliever in Jim Johnson, who came into the game having allowed just three homers all year (0.35 HR/9), one off a righty. The first one was a fifth inning solo shot on a fastball up that gave the Yankees a 9-8 lead, the second a seventh inning two-run job on a fastball down that extended the lead to 11-8. Both were opposite field out to right (not cheap either), making Montero the first 21-year-old to hit two homers in a game since Manny Ramirez. It was quite fun to watch, I must say.

Garcia got bounced after just 2.2 IP, after allowed nine hits and seven runs. Both Nick Markakis and Mark Reynolds tagged him for homers. Not a particularly great day for the starter, who gave way to Scott Proctor. Proctor allowed a game-tying solo homer in Robert Andino in the fifth, his only real blemish in two innings. Then came Aaron Laffey (0.2 IP), Luis Ayala (1.2 IP), Boone Logan (0.2), and Cory Wade (0.1 IP), all generally effective. Joe Girardi said after the game that both David Robertson and Rafael Soriano were unavailable due to their recent workloads, so it was a good day to have some September call-ups lying around.

Lost in Montero’s day was Robinson Cano‘s third grand slam of the season, perhaps the most predictable grand slam of all time. I’m not quite sure what Matt Wieters and Chris Jakubauskas were thinking throwing him seven straight 91 mph fastballs, but hey, I’m not complaining. That bomb turned a 5-4 deficit into an 8-4 lead. Mark Teixeira chipped in a solo homer, Curtis Granderson a two-run double, and Andruw Jones a run-scoring single. Every starter had a hit except for Brett Gardner. No nonsense day for the offense, that’s for sure.

Things got a little sticky for Mariano Rivera in the ninth, when he gave up two hits and hit a batter (one run), but he stranded the tying and go-ahead runs at third and second, respectively, by striking out J.J. Hardy on a cutter away. Mo’s 38th save of the season is number 597 of his career, so he’s still got a decent shot to tie (or top) Trevor Hoffman’s record of 601 career saves before the season ends.

Brett Lawrie and the Blue Jays walked off against the Red Sox, so the lead in the AL East increased to 2.5 games and three in the loss column. The Rays beat the Rangers thanks to yet another Jamie Shields complete game, so the lead on the wildcard spot remained at 9.5. The magic number to clinch a postseason berth dropped to just 14. MLB.com has the box score and video highlights for those that missed Montero’s homers. FanGraphs has some other stuff, and ESPN offers the updated standings.

The Yankees have won five straight (undefeated in The Montero Era!) and will look to extend it to six against the Orioles on Tuesday evening. Phil Hughes will give it a go against Tommy Hunter, and RAB Tickets can help get you in the door if you want to attend.

It’s so weird to see Montero mentioned in the headline of the MLB recap.

http://www.twitter.com/stophamm3rtime Dela G

Get used to it, he is one special kid. I can’t wait to see his prime. He will be effing sick, barring any injuries

John

Didn’t Mike Stanton hit two homers on July 16th vs the cubs and isn’t he 21?

Donna L

Maybe so, but it wasn’t in the first five games of his career; see the link.

http://www.twitter.com/jordansmed JGS

And he did it twice last year when he was 20. And Andruw did it four times in his age 21 season.

Karl Krawfid

First 5 games to start a career.

mbonzo

Trout homered twice last week.

teddy

O’s got montero

FachoinaNYY

High point of the season thus far for me.

Teams playing great and Montero’s ABs have become must see.

Lets keep it up.

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

He’s no Ryan Lavahhhnway.

Esteban

and no Jose Iglesias.

Ro

but both are exponentially more valuable, just because they are Red Sox prospects..jackasses

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

re: Jose Iglesias

I don’t understand how Red Sox fans can be so high on him. I don’t care how good his defense is, HE CAN’T HIT.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

He’s already inducted into the Class of 2035 Hall of Fame, so obviously he’d have to figure it out at the plate, right? RIGHT?!?!?!

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

Well people want to compare him to Ozzie Smith. I don’t think he’ll even be able to hit that good. A much better comp would be Rey Ordonez in my opinion.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

No! He’s a Sawx prospect! He’s the next Ozzie Smith, you watch!

/hoping you’re noticing the sarcasm’d

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

Ozzie Smith? PFFFTTT. He’s the next A-Rod, you watch.

/amidoingthissarcasmthingright’d

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

No, he’ll be the next A-Rod because of power and he’ll be the next Ozzie Smith because of his glove and he’ll break the home run record AND never make an error ever. He’ll be the greatest player in the history of the game, and they already have his HOF plaque ready for him

*/ yes you’re doing this sarcasm thing right, but I’ve set the bar as high as it will go’d

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

:p

Ted Nelson

While I don’t think Iglesias has a good chance to be the next Ozzie Smith… Ozzie learned to hit over the course of his career. Ordonez never did. As late as 26 Ozzie posted an OPS of .549. Deciding whether someone can add new skills years from now or not is really, really hard. Chances are against it, but spotting the Ozzie Smith who can’t hit but will learn to from the Rey Ordonez’s who will never learn to hit… I don’t know if it can be done, especially by a fan who doesn’t only sees so much about the work ethics of prospects.

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

It’s too early to tell. But Iglesias hasn’t barely hit as well in AAA as Ozzie did in his worst MLB season.

http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/ Xstar7

*has

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

and no Will Middlebrooks.

http://bloodfarm.tumblr.com mattdamonwayans

He’s no Lars Anderson

amr5026

Is it me, or did Arod seem like he was favoring the knee he had surgery on when he was on the base path?

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

Seemed like he was favoring it on the basepath and in the field. Noticed it too, and a buddy texted me “A-Rod needs to sit. He’s limping around the bases and in the field.”

If we can get a fully healthy A-Rod and Montero cracking in this lineup, it’s just absolutely frightening.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

It’d also be frightening if A-Rod got injured again and had to miss significant time.

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

While it would obviously be better to have A-Rod in the lineup, the Yankees have been chugging along pretty well without him. Yes, of course, it would be much better to have a healthy A-Rod, but the prospect of not having him is not one that I would deem “frightening.”

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

You’re probably right. But come postseason it’d be really nice to have him. He just adds depth to the lineup. And especially with him making what $30M this year? I’d sure love for him to contribute someway with that contract.

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

Agree it would be nice to have him, he would add depth and it would be nice to get some playoff bang for all those bucks.

Brian S.

32 mil this year. 30 next year. 29 in 2013.

Dave

In 2011 dollars that’s like 28.7 Million. Bargain.

Cy Pettitte

chances that Montero gets the full time DH spot instead of being platooned?

Love watching this kid hit, seeing homegrown players come up through the farm system and make it to the majors is awesome.

mbonzo

Not until the postseason. Yankees want to keep Chavez/Jones fresh, and Posada will most likely get a roster spot in October too. 75% chance Montero is the primary DH in the postseason.

Neil T

I missed Montero’s first HR because of an ill-timed power cut!! Got the game back in time for the second though.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

I missed it because I took a walk to the post office and I decided to take the long way home. FML

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

I missed both because I was in FAO Schwartz with my brother and 1-year old niece.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

Wow, I’m surprised you didn’t shoot yourself.

/kidding

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

Fortunately, I didn’t have a gun.

Esteban

With power to right-right center field it’s like Jesus was destined to hit a Yankees Stadium

Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

Jesus will one day hit one into the 3rd deck in rf.

Craig

Cant wait to see Jesus rake in the playoffs. What to do with Posada though? Also, do players left off the postseason roster get a WS Ring?

mbonzo

Its a team rule, but I think the Yankees give a ring to any player who played on the 40 man roster that year. And I’m pretty sure any player who played and is on the 40 man roster at the end of the season gets a playoff bonus.

http://kierstenschmidt.com Kiersten

I think they vote on players that weren’t on the postseason roster. So of course Posada would get one.

I could be totally wrong though.

amr5026

Bengie Molina would have gotten one regardless last year for being on both teams (SF and TEX) throughout the course of the season.

mbonzo

Yea, but getting rings is a team specific rule. I think the Giants’ rule had to do with % of the season played.

Rick in Boston

I thought the issue with Molina wasn’t the ring, but the post-season share of money?

duzzi23

Jesus added to his legend today those homers were bombs opposite way. This kid is the real deal i love watching him play. Great win today the offense bailed out the pitching.

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

His legend? Really?

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

I mean, can the kid hang a few banners in the gym before we put him in Cooperstown?

/Tuna’d

Danny

Montero’s first homer – 399 Ft
Montero’s second homer – 396 Ft

Wow, quite impressive opposite field power.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

Damn, I thought the first one would be at least a few feet more than the second. Either way, very impressive.

Henry

Ummm. It was a few feet more. 399 > 396

Jesus Freak

Jesus is hitting too many home runs.

/ESPN’d

FIPster Doofus

He should start bunting for the good of the team. Small ball is the right way to play. It’s how you win championships.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

And it’d be very gritty of him! It’s all about the grit!

LiterallyFigurative

The Yankee farm system coming along quite nicely, and helping the big club. Love to see it.

pedroia gets mvp for jumping before each play and for having 3 vowels at the end of his name.

Brian S.

They both have been fantastic on offense this season but Pedroia is a better defender. He will probably finish ahead of Cano in the MVP vote and rightfully so, you could argue that he has had the better 2011.

pete

agreed. Cano is an MVP candidate when his OBP is over .380 or the rest of the field sucks. Neither is close to being true this year.

And of course not! Pedey, Ellsbury and A-Gone should share the MVP and the Sawx will go on to win the World Series trophy baby!

/Delusional Red Sox fan’d

Klemy

Impossible. He doesn’t have any wins.

/Kay’d

Tyrion Lannister

I’d sit Alex tomorrow. Put Chavez at 3rd vs the righty. DH Montero again and forget about Jorge, he’s washed up. Montero is the present and the future of this franchise and he should be playing as much as possible.

Brian S.

Alex just say for a week. He’s still fresh enough to play.

Brian S.

*sat

Rainbow Connection

Someone didn’t watch the game.

Rich in NJ

This is the reason I wouldn’t trade Montero for almost no one.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

I hate to be the grammar police, but correct me if I’m wrong, but by you saying that you’d trade him for anyone?!?!

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

He’s made no statement as to who he would accept in a trade for Montero. He’s only made a statement as to who he would not accept in a trade for Montero. And that is, that he would not accept almost no one in a trade for Montero. I’m not quite sure what that means.

The “This” in the original post is obviously open to interpretation.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

My guess is that he wouldn’t trade him for almost any player except probably the obvious choices, Verlander, Kershaw, etc..

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

This is the correct answer.

JAG

Seems to me the literal meaning of the sentence is that he wouldn’t trade away Montero for a package or player deemed to be “almost no one.” Which is a totally reasonable stance. There are very few players I’d trade for “almost no one.”

That’s also not even close to the actual meaning of the sentence.

CP

I’d trade AJ for ‘almost no one’

Spaceman.Spiff

Hell, let’s go further. I’d trade AJ for fully ‘no one’

pete

in continuing the grammar police-ness:

as to who he would accept…as to who he would not accept should be as to whom he would accept/not accept

how about flipping tex and cano for a go. that’d just be too outrageous.

http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

Girardi’s head would explode if he even fathomed that. He couldn’t handle the insane amount of runs to score on any given day.

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

Switch Montero and Tex!!!

Brian S.

Rodriguez instead of Chavez. He just sat for a week, he can play a fifth game in a row.

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

A-Rod is hobbling around like an old man. Sit him.

Brian S.

There will be plenty of time to sit him if and when the division is wrapped up. He can play for the fifth game in a row, it won’t kill him.

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

Completely disagree. The man is hobbling. Give him a rest.

Agree to disagree.

FIPster Doofus

I agree with you. Taking the division isn’t more important than having A-Rod as healthy as possible come October. And it’s not as if having A-Rod sit a game against the sad-sack Orioles will stop the Yankees from beating them.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

He just had two months off and the solution to shaking off the rust is … to sit him again?

Oscar Gamble’s Fro

Sitting Rodriguez for one game when he appears to be hobbling and when there are 22 games left in the regular season is somehow going to impede the rust removal? Seriously?

Jesus Freak

Montero is bigger than Jesus

/John Lennon’d

TLVP

Jesus is bigger than Jesus

Will

Wild game. It was nice to see Proctor come back and do a pretty decent job calming things down after Freddy’s rough outing. I always liked Scott during his first stint with the Yanks.

Overall, pretty good job by the bullpen, considering how many innings they had to throw, but it was a little disconcerting to see the leadoff hitter walked in 3 different innings. I suspect they won’t get away with that again.

I’m still rolling my eyes at the hyperbole surrounding Montero, but I will say that was some pretty legitimately impressive opposite field power.

Speaking of Montero, what’s the over/under on him getting drilled in the back if he plays again in this series? I can’t imagine Showalter or the O’s were too thrilled with the double curtain call.

David, Jr.

“I’m still rolling my eyes at the hyperbole surrounding Montero, bit I will say that was some pretty impressive opposite field power”.

Unbelievably exciting that he would receive your endorsement. However, you are a bit late. The scouting reports, such as the last two Baseball Americas, say things like like “nearly an 80 hitter with 80 power”, “70 hitter”, “70 power”, and “a veteran major league scout said he is the best young hitter that he has seen in years”.

I have seen him several times. He is not overhyped at all. As with all young players it is difficult to predict exactly at what rate he will develop, but when he fully matures, he will hit for both a high average and with major power.

mbonzo

Josh Beckett is injured again, Yankees are 2.5 games up on the Red Sox, Cano is hitting Grand Slams, Montero is having multi homer games, Jeter is a .300 hitter again. Sounds like things are back to normal in baseball land.

nycsportzfan

Man, how come MO getting so close to the Saves record isn’t getting any love at all? Not to mention, hes so close to being only the 2nd Reliever to get 600saves ever… Not to mention, that is a incredible feat, that very few will see, because of how long u have to be effective converting saves as a teams closer.. Either way, i think hes definetly gonna at least tie Hoffman, if not pass em..

Skip

I bet Montero gets his first start at Catcher when Nova is on the mound because of familiarity with him.

Brett

To answer an earlier comment, I’m pretty sure Yanks give rings to anyone who spent time on active roster during the year (25 man not 40 man, or called up in Sept).

Januz

The way it works is if you appeared in a game during the season, you get a ring (Which is why Nomar got one when the Red Sox won despite being traded, and Ian Kennedy getting one with the Yankees (He got in one big game in 2009 vs Boston)). As for playoff shares, the players themselves decide who gets a share and how much it is. I think it is fair to say that if they win, the “lesser lights” (Not to mention a Montero who is expected to play a big role in the future) will be taken care of. I go back to 2009, when the Yankees were very generous with their shares, and also this year, when in a very unselfish gesture,Russell Martin asked Ron Washington to let Matt Wieters play, because he had played before and Wieters was appearing in his first one.

Bartolo’s Colon

Stupid point, but didn’t IPK get in a game against the Angels in 2009. I think I remember it being late in the game in September or something, he got in trouble, but ended up getting out of it and the Yanks eventually won. I think it was in Anaheim

Monteroisdinero

I think pretty soon you will see teams not allowing Montero to extend his arms on his swing. He can hit it out to RF in any park. They are going to bust him inside quite a bit and we will see him adjust by getting his front hip cleared and showing us his power to left and left center.

David, Jr.

Exactly. Fast balls in and up. Try to get him to chase slop away. Nothing he can’t handle, and much better learning here than crapping around in Scranton.

Jorge

Montero’s just stat-padding like Swisher.

/actuallyihavenocluewhatcommenterthatis’d

Monteroisdinero

I am in the camp for resting Alex alot this next month and playing everyone else-Nunez/Chavez etc. He looks slow on the bases and in the field and he so rarely pulls a fastball with power. All kinds of knee/hip issues right now. Too bad. He looked so great in March and April.

Bronx Byte

I can see Martin getting less time as the primary catcher in 2012 and mentoring Montero behind the plate.
I wouldn’t hurt Cervelli to learn some 2nd & 3rd base and maybe some OF time in a winter league to make himself more versatile and stick with the team unless he ends up going in a deal.

Mykey

And so the “Montera” begins. Awesome.

Grit for Brains

Justin Smoak is sitting at .224/.318/.385 for the year. Hasn’t hit a homer since June and never has had more than 4 in a month. Wonder how Jack Z in Seattle feels about his decision to pass on teh Jesus today.

The Raging Platypus

Not for nothing, but Montero could easily go into a 1-30 funk in the next few weeks, so let’s hold off on the victory lap for a little while.

That being said, I’d like to think Jack Z feels pretty stupid at the moment. =P

LiterallyFigurative

Let’s not count our chickens prior to their hatchings.

Dan

Does anyone know what Montero’s homerun call was from Sterling? I was just curious.

Monteroisdinero

It was “Jesus has been turned loose”

We all agree that it was poor.

LiterallyFigurative

Yeah, I wasn’t in love with the Sterling call, but I’ll give Sterling the benefit of him not wanting to go Religious with the call.

Besides, where was he gonna go with the HR call?

I do like “Montero is Dinero”.

Dan

Yeah, its horrible… I guess he didn’t want to use any religous saying so he didn’t offend anyone. However, since he does use spanish for one of his other calls, something like montero is dinero would even have been much better.

Gustavo

Figure you folks might like this, front page of venezuelan newspapers on Montero: